Frame building



C. WATKINS FRAME BUILDING Oct. 3, 1933.

Filed April 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l lvvslvroe amass Mvm/NS PE? Q 7 M ATTOQNEY.

Oct. 3, 1933. c. WATKINS 1,929,226

FRAME BUILDING Filed April 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ii i L 23 /j-52 INVENTOQ 2 (3142455 WATT/(INS A TTOQNEY Patented Oct. 3,1933 7 L UNIT-ED. s m as -AI FRAME Bmnim e Charles Watkins, Brighton, England Application April -11, 1931, Serial No.- 5 29,i35, ff l. and in Great Britain February 16. 1931 2 Claims ol. at -g My present inventionrelates to an improved method of constructing wooden frame-build;

ings in which a pluralityofframe" members are adapted to be readily assembled in predetermined relationship. The chief object or my invention is to provide a simple and convenient means of carrying out this method of building houses and otherstructures in" such manner that theassembled structure can'be of a permanent nature and will withstand exceedingly heavy pressure, such as for example the heavy pressure of cyclones} more reliably thanexisting frame buildings, the construction of building accordingto this invention being partic'u larly' suited for 'thispurpose; A further object of my invention-is to enable the walls and a roof 'of a wood frame building to be erected. in a manner which wiilenable'the predominating frame elements and other structural parts to f be of standardized iormso that'having selected afsuitable site the building can be erected in a short time by simply transporting the vari ous sections ready for assembly. A still fur-' 'ther object of'my invention is to provider-an 1 improved method of building wooden bungalows orflsemi-bungalows which can occupy a large ground area if necessary and 'can'be erected in an attractive design. According-to my invention a frame'bu'ilding comprises a roof beamed or s'trutted in two liori zontal dimensions by iintersecting joists bolted together, andfiwalls comprising panels erected upon anumber of frames and main uprights; the lower ends of which main uprights are bolted to mainhorizontal floor beams, the up,- 'per ends of the main uprig'hts having beams bolted across them, said latter beams beingbolted to beams 'secured against the inner sides of the upper ends of the walls.

In the lower structure aiplurality'ofstand ardiz ed foundation units in the formof pih' larsare provided with bolts extending upwards therefrom for receivingfa plurality of longitudinal and transverse beams ormain supports, such beams also carrying vertical and horizontal bolts for receiving respectively-a plurality of horizontal floor beams and vertical wall members. i f In order that my invention may be clearly wunderstocd and readily carried'into effect, I have appended hereto 2 sheets of drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof and wherein,

Fig. -1. is a .plan View of a suitable lay out for the ground'fioor'frameworkfof awooden bungalow.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View of the bungalow wallS- w I Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation 'view th'roug-h V one-wall.

Fig. eds-a detail sectional plan view on the no.

1ine 4a'4a of Fig.3, a Fig."5 is a sectional plan-View 'on the line 5 a5a of Fig. 3 taken through a corner 0f. the building i Fig. Gisa detail sectional elevation view show 5;

ing the method of bolting" thewall frames and door board 7 Fig. 7 isafdetail sectional-view on the line describe-"the structured-rem thefloor' upwards; and 1n the example illustrated a-wooden fra1ne V semi-bungalow is supported 011;? plurality of pillarsl which inay be mouldedinfsitu when the building is to be erected or may-.be'previ- 7 ously prepared @WOlkSIf:Each pillfil l' is pref-1 erably of inverted T section and can consist of a rectilinear base- 1?; from which-extends an integral upstanding central column lu" which can conveniently be of truncatedpyramidf form or with parallelvertical sides.- ]Ernbe'dded vertically in each pillar ren 1 number; [01: heavy bolts 11 extending beyond the upperjend of the pillar and "having ja" nut 12ithreaded on tosuch extending end. The embedded end ffof 5 the boltfhas' a metal iplate 13 abutting against I its head to provide'meansfor anchoring the belt firmly withinthe pillar which can be read ily embedded in a suitablefcunditidnl fi a suit: T

able foundation consisting of concrete arranged '6 in the necessary dimensionsand depth to receive the desired number. of pillars 1' disposed in pre arranged erectionfand spacing. Each pingsprovided in one or more sides witha suitable ventilating aperture or apertures 15 or"itca' n 5 contain a suitable fillingor' porous material in one or more transverse directions. so as to chi l ate accumulation. of damp 'and moisture in. the, foundation; 7'

' The upstanding bolts fllprovide a..m eans of V T readily connecting to thefpillars ends jof a plurality ofhorizontalfbeams giconstitutingfthe than the width from'front-to rear'jof the'pillar on which it is laid :so that a substantial step lfi is provided between the front edge 2a of each 16] I rt V said beam and the front side of each pillar 1. As will be seen in Fig. 1 longitudinal and transverse beams 2 are provided which abut at their ends against each other where they are bolted to the pillars 1.

having a cross sectional dimension which in one direction just fills one of said steps, the other. dimension'preferably being twice as wide, for example by employing vertical beams having cross sectional dimensions of 'two by four inches.

The assembly of the said horizontal beams and main uprights produces a skeletonstructure to members or rectangular wall frame members '1 laidupon the upper edges of the longitudinal frame members 19.

which the remaining parts of the building can{ 22 and and the upper parts of the frames be readily connected. The lower ends of the main uprights 3 are bolted to the frontedges of the said beams 2 by bolts 4 (see Fig. 7) passed horizontally through the beams and having nuts 4a threaded against the inner edges of said beams.

The necessary plurality of horizontal frame members 5 adapted to support the floor are secured to a parallel pair of. the said beams 2 by verticalbolts 18 (see Fig. 6) passed through the appropriate beams 2 and the floor frame members, the heads 18a of the bolts being-countersunk in the floor boards 5 or equivalent floor material and the nuts 18b threaded on to thebolts if desired being countersunk into the said beams 2 so as to lie, between the; upper ends of the said pillars 1 and the lower faces of the said beams 2. The tightening of the nuts lBb can be eifected before the appropriate longitudinal and trans-.

verse beams are laid onto the pillars l-so that the floor frame work comprises a skeleton structure ready for laying on to the foundation pillars.

Spaces are provided between the ends of the horizontal 'fioorfram e members 5, the ends of the floor boards 'B'and't'he said main uprights 3 previously. referred to and in these spaces are bolted framemembe'rs 19 against which the ends of the floor frame members 5 and the ends of the floor boards 6 stun, these longitudinal frame members 19 being secured 'to'the said beams 2 by vertical bolts 20 (see Fig. 6) passed downwards through the'frame members and the beams 2, the bolts'also being. passed'throug'h the horizontal The rectangularwallframes '1 extendvupwards parallelt'o 'the main'v'erti'cal frame members 3 but are narrowly spaced therefrom by rabbeted boards or panels 28 which a're'ffitted againstthese wall frames7andthe uprights 3. The inner sides of the main vertical frame members 3 having of the wallframes 7 have suitable rabbeted boards or-panels Sfittedtothe'ni 'to'produc'ethe'inner walls of the various rooms and the lower edges of an outer cavity and completely close the outer sides of the walls .The'se Irabbeted boards can have laid over them bituminous paper, felt orother suitable 'material "upon. which are laid the. usual horizontal wood'h'Ist'rips 10 constit'uting the outer surface of a'wdode'n frame building.

The roof structure is. an important feature 'of.

this inventidn'as it is proposed to form the: roof of beams'arranged at right angles to each other and bolted at their intersecting points, this arrangement producing a strong and rigid structure.

The upper ends 3a (see Fig. 3) of the main uprights 3 have secured across them by bolts or screws 22a main beams 22 the upper edges of which are flush with the upper edges of the frames 7. Boltedagainst-the inner faces of'the upper horizontal members of the frames 7 are roof beams 25.similar .to the beams 22. The ends of the beams 25 abut against each other at the corners of the building as shown in Fig.*5,

and an L-shaped metal corner plate 23 is sunk into abutting beams 25 and serves to stiffen and maintain rigidity of the corner structure. Bolts 26 pass completely through the plates 23, beams curely bolted to. the appropriate beams 25 by bolts28a which are also carried through horizontal roof frame beams 29 to which are bolted the usual inclined roof members 30 by bolts 3l'.

The beams 29 are butted against transverse'main joists 36 rested upon the upper edges 'of "the beams 25. Suitable L-shaped brackets 'bolt the members 29 to the members 36. 'Thebe'ams 29 are laid across a series of transverse ceiling joists 36a of. the same cross sectional dimensions and.these ceiling joists are parallel with the bearers 27 and are bolted at their ends to the beams 25. Bolts 32d are passed through themtersecting points of the beams 29 and 36a so that a. rigid two dimensionalbracing is given to the roof structure which produces flexibility for exceptionally heavy strains with a normal rigidity.

The wall frames canbe erected ready for plac ing upon thesaid pillars 1 in addition 'to the floor frame alsobeing prepared, ready for 'lay-' erection and also the necessary 'lintels, door posts and other parts appropriate to a normal build- Bolts 41 are passed through the frames 7 and the uprightsfiasshown in Fig. 4 and "contacting frames l7are' coupled firmly bybolts 42 passed through contiguous uprights. 'Panels 43' can obscure the heads of the bolts 26 as shown in Fig; 3.

"By means of my invention a building of a strong construction can be erected by an" unskilled person'by selecting a'predetermin'ed plan submitted by the manufacturers ofthe frames and foundation members and ordering'the frames appropriate to su'ch a design forerection upon the desired site Further it will 'be appreciated that by boltingthe main uprights 3 to the main horizontal beams 2"a somewhat flexible 'struc-" ture is providedwhichinthe event of a cyclone will obviate tearing away ofthe foundations by reason of a large amount "of give between these main members.

What I claim is: V

'1..I'n a'w'ood frame building, a roof structure comprising a pair of rectangular roof frames located in a horizontal plane one within the other and each comprising'four beams abutted at their ends, wallframe membersinterposed at their upper ends between the opposed faces of said rectangular roofframe members, metal angleplates located'be'tween and engaging the op'- posing faces of the inner rectangular roof frame members and'the upper ends of the wall frame members, said angle plates being fitted along.

.bers and relatively transversely directed upper beams, and bolts passed through the points of intersection of said beams.

2. In a wood frame building, a roof structure comprising a pair of rectangular roof frames located in a horizontal plane one within the other and each comprising four beams abutted at their ends, wall frame members interposed at their upper ends between the opposed faces of saidj rectangular roof frame members, metal angle main beamsand the upper plates located between and engaging the opposing faces of the inner rectangular roof frame members and-the upper ends of the wall frame members, said angle plates being fitted along two sides of each corn'erof the inner rectangular roof frame member and accommodated in recesses, and bolts, passing through bothlimbs of each'angle plate and the said rectangular roof framemembers and the upper ends of the wall frame members, beams mounted across theroof' frame members and located between such membersand relatively transversely directed upper beams, and bolts passed through the points of intersection of said'beams, main roof beams in additionv to the aforementioned beams and L- shaped brackets bolted to the sides of thesaid of the aforementioned intersecting beams. V

' CHARLES WATKINS. 

